Gripper for endless-cable railways



(No Model.)

W. W. KENDALL.

GRIPPER FOR ENDLESS CABLE RAILWAYS.

Patented Sept. 16

U rrEn STATES PATENT! Orrrcne VVINFIELD W. KENDALL, OF SAl\ FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

GRIPPER FOR ENIDLESS-CABLE RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 305,081, dated September 16, 1884.

Application filed March 22, 1884. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WINFIELD WEBB KEN- DALL, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grippers for Endless- Cable Railways, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my present invention isto provide a means whereby the propelling cable or rope is automatically released at a point or points along the line of the road, such as at switches, turn-outs, street-crossings, and other places where it becomes necessary to quikly release the cable from the gripper to avoid abrasion and damage. I accomplish this object by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which is represented in front elevation a view of my improved grip for cable railways' In carrying out my invention I construct thelower half, or that portion of my gripper, A, carrying the lower rope, die, and the friction pulleys and rollers, so that it will fall or drop downward away from the upper die moving on the upright ways B. A square guard or bar, 0, connected to the lower ends of the uprights, limits the fall or drop of this movable die-frame' in case of accident or disconnection with the operating-lever D, although this frame and die is more immediately controlled by the arms D, connecting with the crank at the end of theaforesaid operatinglever, and straddles the cross-head E of the stationary frame, in which position it connects with the lower edge of the movable dieframe. Stationary friction -rollers E, with rounded conical heads, are secured to a plate, E adjustably attached to the uprights of the rack-frame, the office of which will be hereinafter fully described.

To one of the angle-irons, F, which form the track-slot within which the gripper-frame works, I bolt or otherwise affiX an upwardlyprojecting flat strap, G, both ends of which are made slightly rounding and smooth, with the inner edge vertical and parallel with the inner edge of the angle-iron.

A cam-plate, H, provided with slots H, is

connected to the bar I, by which the gripframe is attached to the dummy, which plate or cam moves up or down on set-screws H, passing through the slots H, also entering the fixed or stationary grip-frame.

Near the end of the dog or pawl I, which holds the operating-lever in position in the toothed rack J, I connect a rod or trippingsuch a manner that this dog will be raised up when the lower end thereof is engaged by the upper edge of the cam-plate and release the dog or pawl J from the teeth of the rack. The usual grooved guiding-pulleys, L, are placed at each end of the movable die-frame, and descend or are carried downward with it. In practice the upwardly-projecting lug or plate is placed along the angle-irons composing the slot, and upon either sidesuch as at switching-points, turn-outs, and where the cable enters the engine-house, at which points quick and rapid action is necessary to release the cable from grippers or dies-and as the tripping or cam plate mounts the projection it moves upward in the slots upon the set-screws, it trips the slotted arm upon the operatinglever, and releases the dog or pawl from the toothed rack automatically and independent of the engineer, which throws the lever forward'and carries downward the lower die, and die-frame, bringing the conical friction-roller above the horizontal line of the'lower die, and lifts the cable out of the grooved rollers and carries it away from the gripper-frame instantaneously. By this means the action is certain, as the cable slides off the conical roller at once, having first been disengaged from the grooved guiding pulleys by the fall of the lower' half of the die or gripper frame.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In an endlesscable railway, the combination of an upwardly-projecting plate or lug connected to one of the angle -irons of the track-slot at suitable points-such as switches or turn-outsa cam or tripping plate supported by the grip-frame, and adapted to ride :00

Over said projecting plate or lug, and a slot fixed to the upper die-frame, and adapted to ted arm connected to the grip-lever, and capadisengage the cable from the lower or movable ble of being raised by said cam, so as to disendie and the friction or guiding rollers in the gage apawl from its ratchet, and thereby automanner substantially as set forth and specified.

5 matically throw down the grip-lever and re- In testimony that I claim the foregoing I I 5 lease the cable, substantially as described. have hereunto set my hand and seal.

2. In an endless-cable gripper, the lower I WINFIELI) W. KENDALL, [a s. die plate or frame, moving downwardly or Vitnesses: away from the upper die upon the ratchet- G. V. M. SMITH, IO frame, in combination with the conical rollers CHAS. E. KELLY. 

